Method for processing radar signals

• US 6,356,229 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2000
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Schneider, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/554,814
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/90, 342/195
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4026 Antenna boresight
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/403 in azimuth, i.e. in the horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4034 in elevation, i.e. in the vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4052 by simulation of echoes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4091 during normal radar operation

Abstract

A method for procession radar signals for a radar arrangement which is moving in relation to its environment, in particular a road vehicle radar due method include analyzing a plurality of object traces formed by objects to be detected, to determining a current moving direction, and, in response to a deviation of this moving direction from the alignment of the radar arrangement, correcting the object angle determined when detecting the objects within the scope of the angular resolution of the radar arrangement on the basis of the determined deviation, and relating it to the moving direction.

Claims

1. A method for processing radar signals for a radar arrangement, the radar arrangement moving in relation to an environment and receiving radar echoes from a plurality of objects in the environment having an angular resolution, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of object traces from time sequential object data, each object trace corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of objects;

performing an analysis of the plurality of object traces;

determining a moving direction in relation to an alignment of the radar arrangement from the analysis.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the performing the analysis includes generating a mean value of trace directions from the plurality of object traces.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the determining the moving direction is performed so that the mean value is assumed to be the moving direction.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the generating the mean value is performed recursively.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the object traces are formed as straight sections.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of object traces include a plurality of object traces having trace directions located within a predefinable directional window, and the performing the analysis is carried out by considering only the plurality of object traces having trace directions located within the predefinable directional window.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising using angles of incidence with respect to the moving direction so that the radar signals are further processed.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the radar arrangement includes a vehicular radar arrangement.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the vehicular radar arrangement includes a road vehicle radar arrangement.